Home > What You Can Do

[Click here to read How a Bill Becomes a Law] :: [Click here for a list of your Key Contacts]

• Contact your state senator and state representative on a regular basis.
  
  Contact your legislators via phone calls, handwritten letters, and email. Provide them with some insight into your job as a front-line nurse. Tell them why you support safe staffing legislation. Share a personal story with them. Hand written letters and personal phone calls are always the best methods of communication.
  
  For legislators’ contact information or if you don’t know who your legislator is, go to http://capwiz.com/massnurses/state/main/?state=MA or call Martha Campbell at 781.830.5725.
  
• Hold a legislative briefing on Safe Staffing in your community.
  
  A legislative briefing is a time for you and other RNs in your community to get together with local legislators and discuss the need for safe RN staffing. MNA staff will help you set up the briefing, contact legislators and provide background and training materials.
  
  Setting up a legislative briefing is easy and a great way to involve your nursing colleagues in your bargaining unit. Whether this is your first or your 500th foray into politics, we think you’ll have fun with it. For more information please contact Kate Anderson at the MNA at 781.830.5713 or kanderson@mnarn.org.
  
• Meet with your legislators in the district.
  
  Most legislators hold regular office hours in their communities. Call the legislator’s state house office (State House main number 617.722.2000) to find out when and where office hours are held.
  
• Get support from non-nurses.
  
  Do you belong to a parent/teacher organization (PTO), a church, a neighborhood group or a town committee? Arrange a time to present information on how RN staffing affects everyone. Invite your PTO to formally endorse the MNA legislation. Ask you town committee to pass a resolution supporting the Safe Staffing/Quality Patient Care legislation. Invite seniors in your community group to get more involved by contacting their legislators. For more information or for materials, contact Jason Silva at the MNA at 781.830.5740 or jsilva@mnarn.org.
  
• Join the new MNA Email Network.
  
  Often the MNA needs to communicate with members and legislators quickly about pending bills. Members of the Email Network will be called on to take action and communicate with legislators on important issues throughout the year. Go to http://capwiz.com/massnurses/mlm.
  
• Have an MNA legislative leader or staff member come speak to members of your bargaining unit.
  
  Encourage members of your bargaining unit to get more involved in the Campaign for Quality Patient Care by bringing the information to your unit. For more information please contact your elected bargaining unit chair or Kate Anderson at the MNA at 781.830.5713 or kanderson@mnarn.org.

• Spread the word!
  
  Talk to members in your bargaining unit and other colleagues about becoming activists with the MNA. Let other nurses know about opportunities to contact legislators, volunteer with campaigns, and make their voices heard. Encourage them to check the MNA Web site often to get updates, www.massnurses.org.
  
• Share the wealth (of ideas)
  
  Do you have a great idea about things nurses can do to help pass this bill? Has your bargaining unit used creative methods of involving more RNs in the campaign? Please let us know! Email kanderson@mnarn.org.

[Click here to read How a Bill Becomes a Law] :: [Click here for a list of your Key Contacts]